QMI AGENCY

Half of Canadian parents worry their children could be online bullies, a new poll has found.

The survey also found 89% of parents believe their children would tell them if they were being cyberbullied, but previous research from PREVNet (Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network) has shown just 8% of teens turn to their parents in these cases.

Most children "don't think their parents will know what to do or how to help them," PREVNet co-director Wendy Craig said in a release about the survey Wednesday.

A teen's gender also makes a difference. The survey revealed 53% of parents with daughters were concerned about the issue of online bullying, compared to 43% of parents with sons.

Pollsters spoke to 1,000 Canadian parents of children between the ages of eight and 16. The poll was conducted for telecommuniations company Primus using Leger's online panel between April 22 and 28. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.